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01-28-2025, 09:04 AM
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#251 | |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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Quote:
Thanks! Winning the second one in a row is that much tougher. I did it twice with Villanova in my Graham Sims dynasty, but those teams were absolutely loaded. The first champions in each pair had 38-2 and 38-1 records. UVA went 34-5 last year and didn't win the ACC championship. The 2035/36 Wildcats were led by national Player of the Year Mason Reynolds, who graduated that spring--but every other player from that team returned, and four of them had been All-Big East players. No wonder we won again in 2036/37. In 2040/41, three starters returned from the team that cut down the net in April 2040. Again, all three of them had earned postseason honors, and we added the nation's #2 recruiting class to that core. This year, UVA has two returning starters, one of whom made the ACC All-Freshman Team. We're not nearly as good, on paper, as the Villanova teams who pulled off the repeats. If we're to make that happen, we'll need everyone to take a step forward and for at least one of our freshmen to become a star. |
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01-28-2025, 09:27 AM
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#252 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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January 16, 2030
Code:
We begin our season with a disappointingly short run in the Preseason NIT. The #3 seed, we're bounced almost immediately by Gonzaga, wasting 28 points from Grayson Kitchen. Grayson's fine game isn't a one-time thing. He's averaging 19.3 PPG and 6.3 RPG so far this year. Our other returning starter, Isaiah Young, has a coming-out party against Amherst: 22 points (career high) and 13 rebounds (one short of career high). Meanwhile, Jake Gardiner scores 14 points in 13 minutes, and freshman Tristan Horan pours in 16. Again, Tristan's performance isn't an isolated moment of success; he's second on the team in scoring (12.3 PPG) and assists (4.3 APG). The man ahead of him in the latter category is classmate Caleb Roberts, who is proving to be a fine distributor already (5.8 APG). We return to the polls at #20, but we nearly stumble against Trinity. The Bantams lead, 33-29, at halftime, and that eight-point margin of victory flatters us. It was 72-69 with 53 seconds remaining. I wondered how we would keep all those young guards happy, especially after only one of them was willing to take a redshirt this year. The first grumbles of discontent are heard in early January. Bart Macquet expresses his unhappiness. Bart gets in all our games in November and December, but he isn't thrilled with playing six minutes a game. The Tulane game produces one of the weirdest stat lines I've ever seen. The Green Wave makes only five baskets all night long, shooting 5-for-37. One of them is a three-pointer, so they end up scoring 18 of their 29 points from the free throw line. I'm surprised to discover that teams have scored fewer points than that at least 25 times before. Two problems that will almost always keep a basketball team from winning plague us against Saint Louis: committing turnovers and taking poor shots. To their credit, the Billikens do an outstanding job of making us take those shots. Code:
The ACC is nasty. Absolutely nasty. Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 01-28-2025 at 09:28 AM. |
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01-28-2025, 12:59 PM
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#253 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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February 13, 2030
Code:
Our ACC opener features a school record-setting 14 assists from freshman guard Caleb Roberts. The check of the record books this performance inspires makes me realize I didn't give Anthony Carreno nearly enough love. Ant was the previous record holder; he handed out 13 dimes twice, and five of the top 10 single-game performances in assists are his. Our trip to Cameron ends the way most of our trips to Cameron end. We don't lose the game solely because we attempt 10 free throws and Duke tries 24, but that discrepancy doesn't help. We also lose the turnover battle, 9-18. We drop to 1-2 in the conference when Caleb Roberts's buzzer beater won't fall at Clemson. I don't remember when we last had a losing record in ACC competition. It's been a minute. We gain some revenge at the expense of our rivals in Blacksburg, thanks to Grayson Kitchen's 26 points. Code:
The ability of our second five to play that kind of defense is one of our most important advantages. Tonight, Malik Galloway stands out with his three blocks and a steal. Tenacity like that enables us to be in a position where we win the game on a pretty baseline drive by Hayden Allen. It's Hayden's second basket in 30 minutes of court time. We overcome 29 points by Jewell New to beat VT at home, and another stalwart defensive effort enables us to even the season series against Clemson. We win the game, but we lose Tristan Horan to a torn hamstring. The best prognosis has Tristan returning for the NCAA tournament. Jake Gardiner moves into the starting lineup in Tristan's place. Then, against Florida State, Isaiah Young slams his knee against the floor hard and suffers a painful bruise that will sideline him for a week. It's "next man up" time for Malik Galloway. Code:
We won't win the ACC without some help. We probably need to win out, and even then, we need someone to beat Duke (and Wake and UNC). Like I said before, the ACC is nasty. Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 01-28-2025 at 01:01 PM. |
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01-29-2025, 11:05 AM
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#254 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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March 10, 2030
Note: I forgot to print this at the end of the regular season, so you'll see each opponent's record at the end of the ACC tournament. Code:
We come awfully close to winning out, so we don't fall too far short of our goal of an ACC championship. After we complete the first task on our "to-do" list--defeating the Demon Deacons on the road--we get some help from Clemson on the 16th. The Tigers go into Cameron and beat Duke; now we're tied with UNC for second in the league, a game behind the Blue Devils. We can break that tie when we travel to Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels beat us at our own game, playing defense with just a bit more success and getting just a few more shots to drop. There's still a lot of basketball to be played, however. Grayson Kitchen and Jake Gardiner combine for 45 of our 59 points in a narrow win against NC State. Caleb Roberts sparks a win at Maryland with 14 points and 14 assists. As we prepare to host Duke on our Senior Night, we remain tied with North Carolina, but Duke has pulled an additional game ahead of us. Code:
When Duke wins their final game, at Wake Forest, our chances to slide into an ACC championship disappear. Still, it's hard to feel too bad about the way the regular season ends. Code:
We're playing well as we enter the conference tourney. Can our momentum continue for another week? |
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01-29-2025, 11:28 AM
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#255 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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March 15, 2030
ACC Tournament, Second Round Code:
Florida State senior Eric Lewis plays very well in his final game in Seminole colors. Record: 25-5. March 16, 2030 ACC Tournament Semifinal Code:
This time, the Heels can't guard Jake Gardiner. To be fair, that task has been rather difficult lately. The redshirt freshman wing is finding good shots from inside and outside the arc. The backcourts do most of the scoring damage, as the big men do a good job of canceling each other out. None of them play badly; they all play well. Record: 26-5. March 18, 2030 ACC Tournament Final Code:
Hayden and his frontcourt partner Isaiah Young do a terrific job against Duke's experienced duo, John Jackson and Otto Higginbotham. Grayson Kitchen joins Young in posting a double-double, helping his teammates win UVA's second ACC tournament title. Record: 27-5. |
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01-29-2025, 11:49 AM
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#256 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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March 18, 2030
Today, the NCAA announces a landmark change in its policies regarding eligibility for the professional draft. Beginning immediately, college players may declare for the draft after they complete their junior seasons. When I began this dynasty, I decided I didn't want to let collegians turn pro early. That was my response to the Wild West scenario we're seeing in "real" college basketball now. After playing a while, I've decided to change the rules just a bit. Now that I'm coaching a team that can compete for top recruits, the recruiting minigame can be a bit more interesting when a player can leave after three years. Do I want to pursue a player who will almost certainly go pro early, or concentrate on a guy who is more likely to stay for four years? It should also be easier for talented players to make an impact sooner. I'd like to see a slightly better mixture of savvy veterans (like Isaiah Young) and talented freshmen (like Hayden Allen). Right now, the vets are keeping the young guns on the bench. Players who average three points and three rebounds a game are making the All-Freshman Teams in power conferences, simply because they're the only first years who are making it to the floor. |
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01-29-2025, 12:24 PM
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#257 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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March 18, 2030
We're placed in the NCAA East Region, seeded #2. Wisconsin is the one seed in our region; the others are Kansas, Texas, and Duke. Yes, that's the Duke team we just beat in the ACC tournament, a week after we beat them in the regular season. In real life, I don't dislike Duke at all. It's getting harder not to cast the Blue Devils as the antagonist here, considering the collective crush the selection committee seems to have on them. March 22, 2030 NCAA East Region, First Round Code:
Isaiah Young seems to have discovered a new level of offensive play this March. Isaiah has his way with the smaller, younger Terrier bigs, who find the physicality and court command of an ACC big man more than they can handle. Record: 28-5. March 24, 2030 NCAA East Region, Second Round Code:
You may notice Tristan Horan's name in the box score tonight. Playing at almost 90 percent of his usual readiness, Tristan enjoys a nice 19-minute run. Getting him back to anything close to full health gives us another tool in our kit as we pursue the big prize. Record: 29-5. March 29, 2030 NCAA East Region Semifinal: the Sweet Sixteen ( Code:
I'm sure some haters will view Cedric Maddux's injury as nothing less than we deserve for making Cinderella's night at the ball so unpleasant. Cedric has torn an unidentified ligament, which ends his season as unavoidably as that of any Marshall player. Bart Macquet will move up in the rotation; will that do anything to soothe his unhappiness? Record: 30-5. March 31, 2030 NCAA East Region Championship: the Elite Eight Code:
Coach Toby Whittaker and his Cavaliers are on their way to their third Final Four, champions of the East Region. We play a delightfully tidy game of basketball, turning the ball over only seven times and making almost half our three-point attempts. Isaiah Young again patrols the paint like a boss and a resurgent Tristan Horan steps off the bench and drops 19 on the Orange. Throw in a pair of double features by Grayson Kitchen and Caleb Roberts, and the result is a date for the season's final weekend. Critics might point out that we've gotten there by beating a 15 seed, a 7 seed, an 11 seed, and an 8 seed. I'd reply that those lower seeds earned their places by beating someone else who's good. You can only play the team that's on the court with you. Record: 31-5. |
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01-29-2025, 12:42 PM
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#258 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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April 6, 2030
NCAA National Semifinal: the Final Four Code:
Sometimes the other team is better than you are. I look at Texas's roster and I see a team with no identifiable weakness. The Longhorns are quick and strong. They can shoot the lights out. They defend the post and perimeter with rabid intensity and consider every rebound theirs. I decide I can't gain anything by altering my plans to counter the Longhorns, so Coach Whittaker and his players are simply going to play their game. The result isn't as horrific as many of the beatings Texas has inflicted on their opponents. They've won games by 43, 36, and 35 points. Their sole loss was an 87-82 setback at the hands of Texas A&M, who are a 97 Prestige team and the Horns' arch-rival. Grayson Kitchen earns that PotG recognition, and Jake Gardiner closes out his season with another noteworthy performance. Sometimes the other team is better than you are. Record: 31-6. |
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01-29-2025, 12:48 PM
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#259 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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April 8, 2030
South Florida, an 8 seed, upsets Maryland in the other semifinal, but their reward is the chance to be boat raced by Texas in the championship game. The Longhorns complete their season with a 70-53 victory. Code:
The league's second-leading assist man, Caleb Roberts is a worthy winner of his ACC freshman honors. Likewise, Grayson Kitchen earns his recognition, finishing second in the league scoring race. |
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01-29-2025, 12:55 PM
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#260 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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April 8, 2030
Code:
This was a fun team to coach. We were very good defensively, but otherwise we create the impression of a team that was better than the sum of its parts. Our offensive efficiency (109.5) ranked 15th nationally; our defensive efficiency (89.5) placed ninth. Code:
Code:
Code:
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01-29-2025, 01:02 PM
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#261 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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2029/30 Senior Snapshot
Code:
Well done, good and faithful servant. Isaiah came to work each day, punched the clock, did his jobs, clocked out, and returned the next day to do it all again. He progressed from a role player to a two-year starter. The teams for which he started both made the Final Four, and Isaiah's consistency and reliability were certainly part of those winning formulas. He played especially well in March of his senior season, and he'll always have that Senior Night against Duke. Isaiah departs as our fifth all-time rebounder and sixth all-time shot blocker. Thanks for the memories, Isaiah. |
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01-29-2025, 02:10 PM
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#262 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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April 13, 2030
No professional team considers Isaiah Young worthy of a draft pick. He'll pursue opportunities as a free agent, and he's considering playing overseas. In the first draft to feature junior eligibles, the first pick is a senior, and we know him well. It's Duke big man Gregory Silvas. The Blue Devils do lose two underclassmen to the draft, when forwards Harris Warr and David Levesque hear their names called. The only player who transfers from our program is disgruntled walk-on Dan Toler. Apparently Bart Macquet has decided to return. Consequently, we won't be active in the portal this spring. For the second time in two years, Toby Whittaker will be leveling up. Now a Level 10 coach, he'll add five more points to each of his four attributes. Now he rates 83 for Recruiting, 64 for Scouting, 75 for Offense, and 78 for Defense. Lead scout Scott Webster asks for and receives a raise of about $14K/year, which brings his salary to $150,000/year. |
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01-29-2025, 02:15 PM
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#263 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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April 13, 2030
Code:
Code:
Duke signee Shad Reader leads a solid group of newcomers to the ACC this season. |
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01-29-2025, 02:42 PM
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#264 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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May 1, 2030
Deandre Halliburton leaves our program after three seasons as Coach Whittaker's coaching assistant. He's on his way to a job as head coach at Holy Cross. To replace Coach Halliburton, we hire Scot Shoemake. Coach Shoemake knows the ACC well; he was part of the staff at Boston College before their AD cleaned house last month. Coach Shoemake rates 70 for Offense and 60 for Defense. He's a solid coach at a good price; he'll earn $134,129/year. Former Virginia assistant Gerry Johnson has been hired by Amherst, since Stephen Corr has been poached by Boston University. |
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01-30-2025, 01:37 AM
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#265 | |
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Dark Cloud
Join Date: Apr 2001
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Quote:
Can't win em all, but still a good season for your squad. |
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01-30-2025, 11:04 AM
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#266 | |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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Quote:
Thanks, YD. Even Texas, as good as they were, couldn't win 'em all...but they came very close. The 2029/30 team didn't have one remarkable signature skill. They couldn't score so many points that other teams couldn't keep up, and they weren't quite good enough defensively to shut down the very best teams. But they also weren't truly weak in any way. Most teams have an Achilles heel or two, and if you can identify it and muster the skills to attack it, you have a good chance of beating them. Duke and Texas were the two teams I truly struggled with this year. I think I figured out how Duke could be beaten; slowing the pace down just enough--not too much--and forcing their big men to win the game for them. Against Texas, I couldn't identify a weakness to exploit, so I set UVA up to do the things we did best and see if, somehow, we could battle them strength-for-strength. I wonder if we might have won it if we'd had a stone-cold shooter like Chris Como or a dominant three-level scorer like Trevor Bocanegra. Having said that, I'll take a trip to the Final Four anytime. |
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01-30-2025, 11:58 AM
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#267 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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July 1, 2030
Recruiting Preview Four of our scholarship players are seniors. They include big men Malik Galloway and Will Hubbard and guards Aaron Jackson and Cedric Maddux. We will definitely be scouting post players this time around, and we'd ideally like to bring in a future star and a role player. We're also looking to add some size to our collection of perimeter players. A tall wing would be ideal. Our recruiting position will be better now; another trip to the Final Four raises our Prestige to 100. We share that honor with Connecticut, Duke, Michigan State, Syracuse, Texas, and UCLA. Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 01-30-2025 at 02:08 PM. |
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01-30-2025, 12:24 PM
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#268 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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August 1, 2030
This is our call list as we begin our recruiting season: Code:
We don't usually attract much attention from recruits in Florida, but this year, that state's top player is very interested in our program. Code:
The interest is very much a mutual thing. Rodney can play. He is very athletic, and his ability to score at three levels looks like it will play at the college level. I'm going to offer Rodney a scholarship, bring him to Grounds, and send Coaches Whittaker and Mazur to visit his family. A month ago, this in-state big man expressed Very High interest in UVA. I gave him an instant scholarship offer, and his ardor has cooled a bit. Code:
Vaughan is precisely the kind of big man I was looking for. Can an all-out recruiting effort bring UVA back to the top of his list? Let's find out. I always find Virginia's Mr. Basketball and see if he's a good fit for our program. Here's this year's winner. Code:
I'll hold on to the fourth offer for a month and see if anyone grabs my attention with both hands. Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 01-30-2025 at 12:28 PM. |
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01-30-2025, 01:59 PM
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#269 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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September 1, 2030
The good news is that Vaughan McMillan raises his interest level in UVA back to Very High. The bad news is that Vaughan holds offers from four schools, two of which--Duke and UNC--are higher on his list. If I didn't need a center like Vaughan very, very much, I would look elsewhere. I might end up having to do that anyway. Rodney Hixson responds very positively to our offer. Rodney would apparently like to play some distance from home, because his second-favorite destination is Washington. We think Charlottesville is the perfect distance away from south Florida, Rodney. Charles Wright also enjoys his visit to Grounds and seems delighted with our offer. Seton Hall, Duke, UConn, and Villanova are also on his list, but we're the only program who has offered him so far. We really need at least one big, so right before I advanced the game, I offered a scholarship to Sidney Atkins. Here's a closer look at him. Code:
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01-30-2025, 02:05 PM
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#270 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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October 1, 2030
Rodney Hixson is one step away from a commitment to UVA. He's cleared his list, and he has no other offers in hand. The same is true of Sidney Atkins. Hopefully, both of these players will make things official a month from now. Charles Wright still lists Duke and UConn as programs he'd consider, but neither team has made him an offer. Even if one of those teams makes a late move for him, I feel good about our chances. I wish I was so confident about Vaughan McMillan. Vaughan has narrowed his choices to Duke and Virginia, but he has the Blue Devils in first place. How much good news will we receive on Decision Day? |
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01-30-2025, 02:34 PM
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#271 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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November 1, 2030
Decision Day Let's get the negative news out of the way first. Vaughan McMillan announces his commitment to Duke. That means we'll have to find a way to contend with him for at least three seasons. However, we don't feel sad for long. Charles Wright, Sidney Atkins, and Rodney Hixson all give us commitments today! Charles projects as a shooter who will stretch opposing defenses in the mold of Jake Gardiner or John Steinberg. He also takes pride in keeping the man he guards under wraps. I compared Sidney to Isaiah Young, and I can envision Sidney filling that kind of role for us: a very good rebounder and defender with enough offensive nous to keep an opponent honest. Rodney might be the most complete player we've had at Virginia. He's been an elite scorer in high school, while coming close to rebounding in double digits and setting up his teammates like a point guard. I don't expect Rodney to stay in college for four years, but I do expect him to spend three years making a significant impact on our program. Welcome to UVA basketball, gentlemen! Almost everyone from our call list signs with someone today, so it's time to take a look at players who don't have offers yet. Is there a post player worth recruiting? Yes, there is. Code:
Seppel Wahl is the best big man among international recruits. I can envision him making the transition to American college basketball very well. He appears to be an open book as far as his recruitment goes, so I'm going to hand that free scholarship to him. |
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01-31-2025, 10:41 AM
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#272 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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November 10, 2030
Here are the 2030/31 Virginia Cavaliers. Code:
Hard workers + top training facilities + talented coaches = improvement. Code:
On paper, this is the most talented team Toby Whittaker has ever coached. Four starters return from the squad that played on the season's final weekend, finally losing to one of the best college basketball teams in history. I'll give top billing to junior wing Grayson Kitchen. He's a junior, and he's the only player with two years' experience in the starting lineup. After a season in which he became an elite scorer and earned second team All-ACC recognition, Grayson got even better in training camp. (I've never seen a player gain as much in one category as Grayson did in Inside Play.) Don't be surprised to see him contend for ACC Player of the Year. And, in what might be the best news of all, pro scouts have advised Grayson to remain in college for a fourth season. Point guard Caleb Roberts's steady play last season would have pleased me coming from a senior. Caleb was actually a freshman, the ACC Freshman of the Year. He blew up in training camp, and now he's a Grade A ballhandler and passer who plays lockdown defense. Classmate Tristan Horan lines up in the backcourt beside him. Tristan's first season was interrupted by injury. He's looking forward to demonstrating his skills--secure ball skills, double-figure scoring, impressive athleticism--over the course of a full season. Powerful senior Malik Galloway moves into the starting lineup in the post. Last season, he proved himself to be a strong post defender and a willing rebounder, and he's improved his arsenal of offensive moves. He'll start beside junior Hayden Allen The 6'11" big man has progressed from reserve to role-playing starter, and now he's poised on the brink of stardom. If he can emerge as a dangerous offensive option in the low post, he'll make that leap; if he does, we'll be even more difficult to beat. Our biggest visible weakness is depth among our frontcourt players. The only big man among our next five is freshman Eli Jackson. We're delighted with the progress Eli made in camp, but is he ready to shoulder the heavy load we might have to ask of him? Seniors Cedric Maddux and Aaron Jackson, along with sophomore Bart Macquet, will provide backcourt depth. I would have no worries about inserting any of them into our starting lineup. And I already know what Jake Gardiner can do in that role, after he averaged over 10 points per game while starting 17 contests as a redshirt freshman. The media experts have finally discovered us, ranking us third behind Connecticut and North Carolina in the season's first poll. Our AD has been very generous with us, upgrading our facilities and giving us a very generous budget. In return, Toby is expected to coach his team to an ACC championship. That will be as difficult a challenge as ever, but it's a reasonable one for this group of players. |
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01-31-2025, 12:43 PM
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#273 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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December 1, 2030
Recruiting Update Seppel Wahl doesn't commit to us today as we'd hoped, but neither has he received an offer from any other programs. Seppel has UVA on the top of his "wish list," and Coaches Whittaker and Mazur will visit him this month. He'll also make a visit to Charlottesville, too. Kansas, California, Villanova, and Arizona are the other schools on his diverse list. Madeleine Whittaker and the kids won't mind a holiday trip to Germany. Expect visits to a Christmas market or two. Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 01-31-2025 at 12:43 PM. |
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